GRANITE CITY - As President Donald Trump prepares to visit the U.S. Steel Granite City Works today Congressman Rodney Davis and Congressman John Shimkus said the Trade Expansion Act, which strengthened enforcement rules against illegal trade practices, has had a noticeable impact on the region by bringing jobs to the area.
In recent months 800 jobs have been added at the Granite City Works.
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“I can see Granite City Works from my house in Collinsville, and most all of us who call Madison County home have had a friend, a neighbor, or a relative – my late grandfather worked there – who earned a good living because of that steel plant,” Shimkus told Riverbender.com. “It’s undeniable that President Trump’s trade policies have brought hundreds of steel jobs back to Illinois, and I’m happy for the workers, their families, and our community.
"I’m proud to represent some of those steelworkers, just as I’m also proud to represent thousands of corn, bean, and pork producers across 33 counties in central and southern Illinois. I appreciate the president’s commitment to helping my farmers, as he’s already helped my steelworkers, by fighting back against those who engage in unfair trade practices. The sooner we negotiate better trade deals, the better off all my constituents will be.”
Congressman Davis said after working with President Obama’s administration to promote fair trade policies, he’s glad to continue working with President Trump’s administration and help bring jobs back to the area.
“I worked with the last administration to promote fairer trade policies for the U.S. and I’m glad to work with President Trump to do the same and bring jobs back to many of my constituents,” Davis said. “For years, unfair trade practices have negatively impacted steel and manufacturing workers in my district. President Trump has made cracking down on unfair trade practices a priority and we’ve seen people in Madison County, and elsewhere, get back to work as a result.
"I believe our focus needs to be on bad actors, like China, who break our trade laws. I continue to work with the administration to mitigate any negative impact on agriculture, but when I talk to farmers in my district, many of them support President Trump and they believe he can get results. Some will criticize my work with President Trump, just as many criticized me for working with the last administration, but I believe it is my job to work with any president to ensure we get the best results for the 13th District.”
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